Car trimmer



R E G Y G w CAR TRIMMER Filed Jan. 8, 1954 7 Sheets-$heet l W. GYGER CAR TRIMMER March 16, 1937..

Filed Jan. 8 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. GYGER CAR TRIMMER March 16, 1937.

Filed Jan. 8, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 arch 16, 1937. w. GYGER 2,073,793

CAR TRIMMER Filed Jan. 8, 1934 7'SheetsSheet 4 March 16, 1937. w. GYGER CAR TRIMMER Filed Jan. 8, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 W. GYGER CAR TRIMMER March 16, 1937.

Filed Jan. 8, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 March 16, 1937.

w. GYGER CAR TRIMMER Filed Jan. 8, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 .l lllll I QWN mu Patented Mar. 16, 1937 UNITED srA'rss PATENT CAR TRIMMER Delaware Application January 8 V 1 Claim.

My invention relates to a car trimmer for distributing granular or broken material discharged into the center of a boxcar or the like to the ends thereon When grain or other finely di- 5 vided material is to be loaded into a box car the latter is coopered that is to say lined with paper or the like to prevent the escape of the material through the cracks or openings in the car walls, the material is discharged through a chute or the like through one of the side doors into the center of the car and distributed by shoveling or otherwise to the ends of the car and the side door opening through which the material is charged into the car is provided with a so-called grain door commonly consisting of boards placed edge to edge, one upon the other horizontally across the doorway from jamb to jamb and also lined with paper, thus closing the opening or doorway to the necessary height to adapt the car to receive a sufficient load of the material to be transported. The upper portion of the doorway above the grain door is left open to permit the chute or conveyor supplying the material to extend therethrough.

It is the object of my invention to provide a box car trimmer for mechanically distributing the load material from the center to the ends of the car, which may readily be inserted into the car and withdrawn therefrom through the opening above the grain door, which latter may thereforebe put in place beforethe loading operation. My car trimmer comprises a distributor member consisting of an endless belt of suitable width traveling on a pair of rollers at the end of a frame and provided with transverse propeller flights or blades, the distributor being so mounted that it may be introduced into the car in which the material is to be distributed and arranged substantially lengthwise thereof, so that when the belt is driven by the mechanism provided for the purpose the lower run thereof may travel over the material in the car and push it away from the center of. the car and toward the ends thereof. The distributor is so supported from a carriage or other structure adjacent the loading track that it can be inserted into the car'and withdrawn therefrom without disturbing the grain door which may therefore be put in place before the loading operation is begun. As the material is not lifted or violently moved by the distributor the. dust commonly caused by shoveling and. by trimmers which lift or throw the material is to a large extent avoided. Furthermore, as no part of the distributor or its support is substantially below the surface of the load of. ma-

, 1934, Serial No. 705,666

terial at any time, its removal from the car may be readily effected when the loading is completed without disturbing the load.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification,-

Figure 1 is a plan view of my apparatus with the distributor in position in a box car, shown in horizontal section, the distributor being shown in full lines in the position it occupies for moving the material to the left and in dotted lines for moving it to the right.

Fig. 2 is a similar view partly fragmentary and with parts omitted, showing in full lines the apparatus completely withdrawn from the car and in dotted lines different intermediate positions of the trimmer mechanism partly inserted in the car.

Fig. 3 is a plan View on a somewhat enlarged scale showing the parts in yet another position.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view in elevation of the distributor in operation in a car which is being loaded, the car being shown in vertical section and the distributor in full and dotted lines in the respective positions it occupies for spreading the material to the right and left.

Fig. 6 is a detail partly in elevation and partly in section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an end view in elevation of the trimmer in position in a box car, the latter being shown in vertical section.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged elevation partly in vertical section on the line 88 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation partly in vertical section on an enlarged scale, parts being broken away.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section on the line Ill-I of Fig. 9, the parts being shown in elevation.

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section, parts being shown in elevation, on the line ll-H of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a top plan View of a portion of the device, including the distributor and the link by which it is supported.

Fig. 13 is a vertical section on the line l3--l3 of Fig. 12,parts being shown in elevation.

Fig. 14 is a horizontal section on the line l4-|4 of Fig. 13, of a detail.

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of a portion of the machine, parts being in vertical section, on the line iii-l of Fig. 12. c

Fig. 16 is a transverse vertical section on the line l6l6 of Fig. 15,'parts being in elevation.

Fig. 17 is a vertical section on the line ll-Il of Fig. 15, parts being in elevation; and

Fig. 18 is a vertical'transverse section on the line l8l8 of Fig. 15, parts being shown in elevation,

In the several views each part is identified by the same numeral.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the trimmer is shown as mounted on a truck or carriage 20 movable upon a track section 2| parallel to tracks 22 upon which the box car, such as shown at 23, may be located for loading. In order to more readily and accurately locate the box car in proper position for loading in reference to the trimmer, the tackle shown in Fig. 1 may be used. This tackle comprises a pair of winding drums 24, 25 journaled on a suitable frame work and provided with intermeshing gears 26, 21, an electric or other motor 23 being geared to one of the gear wheels '25, 21 at 29 to rotate the drums which are thereby turned in unison but in opposite directions. A cable is connected at its opposite ends to the respective drums and passes from the drum 24 about the sheaves 30, 3i, the adjustable sheave 32 and sheaves 33, 34, back to drum 25. The cable is parallel to and sufficiently above the car tracks 22 between the sheaves, 39, 3! to be readily attached by means of the hooks 35, 38 to one of the trucks of a car to be maneuvered into proper position for filling. By attaching the hooks to the truck or other portion of the car and rotating the drums the car may be drawn in either direction along the track and thus adjusted into the proper position for filling. By means of the tackle described above the car may be shifted from one to another of a series of loading bins (not shown) arranged along the track and the trimmer carriage being likewise provided with electrically driven wheels, as later described, the carriage and the car being loaded may be shifted together from one bin to another with or without Withdrawing the distributor from the car.

The distributor 38, which will be described in detail later, is adjustably mounted on a link 39 which is pivoted at 40 to an arm 4| which in turn is fulcrumed at 42 upon the truck or carriage 20. Means, to be presently described, are provided for swinging the arm 4| about its pivot on the carriage, for swinging the link 39 about its pivot on the end of the arm 4! and for swinging the distributor about its pivotal connection with the link 39. When the distributor is in operative position within the car, it may extend either to the left of the arm 4|, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, or to the right thereof, as shown in dotted lines in the same figure, accordingly as material is to be moved toward the left or right end of the car. Fig. 2 illustrates in full lines the position that the arm 4 I, link 39 and the distributor 38 occupy before the distributor is advanced into the car and after it is withdrawn therefrom, and the dotted lines in said figure show intermediate positions of the arm in advancing the distribu tor into the car and withdrawing it therefrom and also shows corresponding positions of the dis tributor when adjusting it into or removing it from the left-hand position (as seen in Fig. 1, full lines) or the left-hand position (as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 1).

During the operation of inserting and locating the distributor within the car, either the latter or the carriage of the distributor may be moved longitudinally along the rails somewhat to permit the arm 4! carrying the distributor to swing through the car door opening 44. Thus, when the distributor is in operative position within the car, whether extending to the left or the right of the arm El the latter is or may be substantially perpendicular to the car body and extends through the door opening which is substantially opposite the fulcrum of the arm. But as the arm swings outward carrying with it the distributor the car is moved somewhat to the right, as shown in Fig. 2, to permit the end of the arm and the distributor to swing through the opening. The distributor and the link 39 carrying the same are caused to swing about the pivotal connection of the latter with the arm 4| during the swinging movement of the latter to permit them to pass through the car door opening and to assume the desired position within the car body or to be retracted to the full line position shown in Fig. 2.

The construction and equipment of the trimmer carriage are best shown in Figs. 4, 9, 10 and 11. As shown in Fig. 4, the carriage comprises an upper beam 56 and a lower beam 6'! which beams extend longitudinally of the carriage and are connected and braced by vertical beams 48. The lower beam or member of the carriage, in the specific construction shown, is provided at its end where it carries the distributor supporting arm with a pair of track wheels 49, 5E and at its other end with a third track wheel 55 all of which wheels are flanged and travel upon a lower rail 52. The beam 47 is formed of two channel beams space apart, between which said wheels are journaled. Beam l! is further provided opposite the fulcrum point of the arm 4| with a pair of side rollers 53, 5 3, which respectively bear against the opposite sides of the rail 52 to prevent displacement therefrom. The upper rail or frame member 4% is likewise composed of spaced channel beams and provided adjacent its respective ends with track wheels 55, 56, which travel against and beneath a top rail 51 suitably supported on a static structure or building. Likewise, the beam 48 is provided with side rollers 58 at a point adjacent the fulcrum of arm it which rollers bear against the respective sides of rail 51 to prevent lateral displacement with respect to said rails. The rails 52 and 57 being parallel to the track for the cars to be loaded, the trimmer carriage may be moved parallel to the latter. In the preferred construction I have provided means for driving the carriage consisting in a motor 59 geared to a transverse shaft 69, the latter carrying a sprocket 6! connected by a sprocket chain 62 to a sprocket 63 secured to the track wheels as. The axles of track wheels 49, 59 are likewise provided with sprockets Ei, 55, connected by a sprocket chain it, so that both track wheels 49, 553 are driven from the motor.

The upper and lower beams 453, 4'! are provided respectively, with upper and lower step bearing blocks 61, 88, located between the channel beams thereof for the shaft or spindle 69 to which the previously mentioned arm 4! is secured (see Figs. 8 and 9). The previously mentioned side hearing wheels 53, E4, 58 are journaled on the re spective bearing blocks.

In the construction specifically shown, the arm as comprises a beam member or casting l0 and a bracket member or casting 7|. such members being bolted together at 72 and provided with sleeve portions l3, 74, respectively, which are bolted to said spindle 69. Intermediate said sleeve portions 73, M, the spindle is provided with a flanged collar 15 keyed thereto. On the top of the flange 2'6 of this collar rests a friction disk :11; surrounding but not secured to the spindle ;and surrounding the body of collar I5 is a fricitio'nicollar. 18'. Bolts I9 screwed into the under edge of the friction-disk extend through holes in "25 the frictioncollar I8 and springs 80 surround -said bolts and are compressed betweenthe friction collar and nutsBi'. Preferably facings of suitable =friction material are interposed between the flange I8 and the adjacent surfaces of the fric- 'tion disk and friction collar, respectively. A sprocket is secured to the friction disk and connected by sprocket chain 82 with a sprocket 83 on the lower end of shaft 84 which is driven through suitable intermediate gearing by the mo- 15 tor 85' Thus by means of the motor 85 and the .connections just described the spindle 89 carrying the arm 4| can be swung from one position to 'another as desired. The friction connection between the sprocket I1 and the keyed collar 15 avoids breakage when, for any reason, the spindle and arm are not free to turn under the impulse of the motor. In order to stop the motor when the arm 4| reaches the desired limit of its motion in either direction I provide automatic switches for opening the circuit of motor 35, one of said switches being illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6. It consists of a pendant rod 86 pivoted to a bracket 81 on the carriage structure. A mercury switch 88 which may be of known type, is carried by rod 88 and when the latter is swung out of its verti- -ca1 position by contact therewith of finger 89 carried by the arm M, the mercury switch opens the circuit of motor 85.

As heretofore stated a link 39 which directly supports the distributor is vertically pivoted to the outer end of arm 4|. The specific construction preferably employed for this purpose is best shown in Figs. 13 and 14. The outer end of the arm 4| is hollow and the upper and lower walls thereof are formed at 00, 9| with hollow bosses having seats for ball-bearings 92, 83 betweensaid seats and the spindle or pintle 94. The inner end of the link 39 is bifurcated, the upper and lower forks 95, 96 embracing between them the end of arm 4| and fitting over the projecting ends of the bosses 90, 8|. The pintle 94, above mentioned, extends through arm 4| and the ball bearings thereof and is secured to the forks or end members 95, 38 of the link 39 and turns therewith. A sprocket 91 is mounted on the spindle or pintle 94 and is connected by a chain 98 to a sprocket 90 on a vertical shaft I mounted in the hollow casting I0 of arm II and driven by, suitable intermediate gearing from a motor IOI. By means of the motor and connections described the link may be swung about its pivotal connection with arm 4I. Preferably the sprocket 91 just mentioned is frictionally mounted on the spindle 94 as shown at 91* in a manner similar to that described for sprocket Tl so that in case the link engages an obstruction to turning when being moved by the motor and connections, damage may be avoided. The movement of link 39 about I02 on the lower fork thereof with lugs I03, I84 on the lower boss of arm 41 (see Figs. 13 and 14) The distributor comprises a frame I05 pivoted to the link 39 and a belt I08 having transverse flights or scraper blades I01 which engage the material to be distributed in the car and push'or scrape the latter away from the center of the car. For the specific construction of the distributor and its mounting upon the link 39 reference 75 may be made to Figs. 12 to 18, inclusive. Referscribed, for tilting the distributor frame.

I29 which is mounted to slide on guides its pivot is limited by the engagement of a lug ring to 'Fig. 13', it will be seen that the link is constructed to provide an'open bottom housing I08 to receive the rear end of the distributor When the latter is elevated, and a shelf or base I09 to support mechanism, to be presently de- The side members of the housing I08 extend forwardly of the latter at I09 and are formed with bearing bosses I Hi to receive the trunnions III of the distributor frame. I

The distributor frame comprises a boxing or casing having a top member I I2, a bottom member H3 and side members H4. The trunnions III of the frame extend through openings in the side walls of the boxing and are provided respectively with nuts II5 (see Fig. 17). Sheaves or pulleys I I6, I I! over which the distributor belt I05 travels are provided at the respective opposite ends of the frame. The rear pulley H8 is journaled at H8 in the'extensions of the side members of the boxing and consists of a drum Which receives the belt and end flanges II 9 which guide the edges of the belt. Pulley or sheave- II'I is driven by means to be described presently, and drives the belt and is adjustable lengthwise of the frame to provide for tightening and loosening the belt as desired. With this in view the front pulley or driving sheave comprises a shaft or axle I20 on the ends of which are mounted flanged disks I2I adapted to receive. and'guide the edge portions of the belt. Intermediate the disks I2 I the spindle 120 is journaled in the walls of a housing I22 and within the housing is provided with a bevel gear I23 (seeFig. 18). Said gear and consequently the shaft and belt-receiving disks are driven by a bevel pinion I24 of shaft I25, the latter being journaled in a bracket I25 which likewise supports housing I22. Shaft I25 is driven from motor I21 through a friction connection or clutch I28 (see Fig. The housing, bearing and motor are mounted on a base plate I30 mounted respectively in the lower corners of the boxing. The base plate may be adjusted by the screw I3l (see Fig. 15) to adjust the tension of the belt. The base plate may be more accurately adjusted laterally and locked in position by the screw bolts I32 (see Fig. 1'7).

The distributor is protected at its front end by bumpers I33, I34 arranged as shown in Fig. 15. Guides I 35, I36 are provided on the top and bottom, respectively, of the boxing, intermediate the belt pulleys for guiding and sustaining the belt against pressure. At its rear end the boxing is provided with side guides or guards I38. A trip plate I39 is pivoted between brackets I40 attached to the upper bumper I33 and normally hangs in front of the belt (see Fig. 15), in contact with bumper I34. The trip plate carries a switch, shown as a mercury switch I4I, which furnishes an automatic control for the motor I21, the arrangement being such that when an excessive amount of material'is heaped up between the belt and the trip plate, it pushes the latter outwardly and upwardly, tilting and opening the switch and so stopping the motor.

In order to adjust the angle of the distributor frame with reference to the link 30 and to withdraw it into the hollow casing of the link, when the distributor is to be shifted, the side members of the distributor casing are connected by links I43 with eccentric pins I44 on disks I45 secured to a shaft I48 (see Figs. 13 and 16). Shaft 4 is journaled in a housing I48, on the shelf I09 of the link, said disks being mounted on the respective ends of the shaft on either side of the housing. Within the housing the shaft is provided with a bevel gear I49 which is in mesh with a bevel pinion I50 on a shaft II connected through a friction connection or clutch I52 with a motor I53.

Switches I54, I55, provided with operating arms I56, I51 extending respectively into the paths of cams I58, I59 on the respective disks I45 serve to automatically open the circuit of the motor when the distributor reaches its extreme position in either direction.

Preferably the various electric motors which I have described are controlled from a common switchboard located in a cab I55 supported by and traveling with the arm 4|. It is also desirable to provide the carriage with a platform such as shown at I56 and an enclosure illustrated at I5I (see Fig. 9). Current is supplied to the motors from stationary connections with a suit able source of current through wires I60, IBI on drums I62, I63 mounted on the carriage and suitably connected to the switchboard.

The trimmer may be employed in connection with any suitable means for conveying the materialto be loaded through the doorway to the floor of the car. I have illustrated for this purpose an ordinary, flexibly jointed spout A (see Figs. 5 and '7). When a car is to be loaded the trimmer arm 4| and the link 39 are brought to the full line position shown in Fig. 2, and the distributor is brought to the horizontal position in which its-rear end is within the casing I08, these movements being accomplished by controlling and operating motor 85 which swings arm 4|, motor I 0! which swings link 39 about its pivotal connection to said arm, and motor I53 which swings the distributor member about its pivotal connection to the link. The car to be loaded is located with its loading door opposite the end of the distributor. The proper relative location of the car with respect to the trimmer may be accomplished either by moving the trimmer through operation of the motor provided for that purpose or by means of the tackle shown in Fig. 1, or both. After the trimmer and car are in proper relative position, arm M is operated to swing toward the car, the link 39 being swung about its pivotal connection with arm 4| in one direction or the other, accordingly as the trimmer is to be used to distribute the material to the left or right, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. After the distributor is in either the full or dotted line position as shown in Fig. 1, the load is fed into the car as, for example, through the spout A and as it heaps up in the center of the car, the belt of the distributor being set in motion, the latter with its transverse flights travels over and through the upper layers of material and distributes the material to that end of the car in which the distributor is located. The distributor may be adjusted into the inclined position, as shown in Fig. 5, by the means previously described. After sumcient material has been distributed to one end of the car, the position of the distributor is reversed to distribute material to the other end of the car as further material is fed into the chute. For this purpose, if the dimensions of the car are such as to render it necessary, the distributor is partially withdrawn from the car by the arm 4|, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the distributor swung about the pivotal connection of its link with arm 4| and repositioned with respect to the latter as it is returned to a central position transversely of the car. After the loading and trimming of the car is completed, the distributor may be withdrawn from the car in a manner which will now be obvious.

The distributor is entirely supported from the link, arm and carriage of the trimmer and at such a height above the level of the car floor that it may be inserted, removed and reoriented within the car over the grain door in the car opening and without disturbing the material within the car. The endless belt of the distributor pushes or propels the material to the end of the car gently and without raising the same so that dust,

which is incident to violent movement of the material and to dropping the same from a distance above the level of the previously distributed material is avoided.

I claim:

A car trimmer comprising in combination, a support, an arm pivoted to the support and adapted to be swung into a car, a link pivoted at one end to the arm, an elongated distributor pivoted intermediate its ends on the opposite end of the link and comprising an endless belt provided with projections for propellingly engaging material in the car, means carried by the distributor for driving the belt, and means carried by the link and connected to the distributor between the inner end thereof and the distributor pivot for rocking the distributor, the link being formed as a housing for receiving the inner end of the distributor when in retracted position.

WAYNE GYGER. 

